23/11/2014
2.. AIR QUALITY.
Air is a mixture of water v***r, nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and traces of other gases.Although its water v***r content is often less than 1% of the total, it is a major factor in determining the condition of the air mixture. This is due not only to the necessity of water in the life cycle but also to its great energy content when in v***r form. NOTE
(The latent heat in water v***r (the energy in the form of heat required to change water from liquid to v***r) is the largest of any common liquid. As a result the small amount of water v***r in the air mixture often contains the major part of the total heat energy of the
mixture.)
A..
When allowed to accumulate to above acceptable threshold levels, air contaminants lead to poor air quality within the poultry house. Contaminants include solid particles; microorganisms such as
1...Bacteria,
2....Fungi and Viruses,
3.....And gases such as Ammonia,
4......Hydrogen sulfide,
5.......Carbon dioxide,
These contaminants are always present to some
extent in poultry house air, but can be minimized with a well-managed ventilation system.
B..
The by-products of broiler production include HEAT,WATER,CARBON DIOXIDE & DROPPINGS,all of which are added to the environment inside the poultry house.
1.. When poultry droppings decompose in the presence of moisture and heat, ammonia is released into the air.
2..Dust particles of dried droppings, feather and skin scales, and some feed become airborne. Microorganisms, including pathogenic bacteria and viruses, may be associated with the dust particles.
3..Spores of harmful fungi such as Aspergillus fumigatus may also be present.
4..The interaction of these various contaminants with litter conditions and temperature is the major cause of poor air quality and airsacculitis.
5.. In airsacculitis the lungs and air sacs become plugged with fluid Affected broilers will gasp for air and often die suddenly.
C....
(AMMONIA FORMATION WITHIN THE HOUSE)
1..Ammonia is a colorless gas produced by microbial decomposition of nitrogenous compounds (protein, amino acids, and non-protein nitrogen) in the litter.
2.. Litter contains a diverse population of microorganisms that produce the enzyme urease, which converts the nitrogen into ammonia. Moisture, temperature, and pH of the litter also play an
important role in the conversion of nitrogen into ammonia.
3..It is recommended that ammonia concentration be maintained at < 25 ppm throughout the growout for optimum broiler performance.
NOTE # # # # # # (When a person is constantly exposed to ammonia their sense of smell is adversely affected and their ability to detect ammonia decreases. With time, most growers are not able to detect ammonia by smell until the ammonia concentration in the broiler house has reached 50-60 ppm or higher. By this time, however, chick performance can be severely affected.) # # # # #
TO BEE CONTINUED...
